Materials and Design 22 2001.

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A knowledge-based system for materials selection in mechanical engineering design

S.M. Sapuan
Ad anced Materials Research Center, Institute of Ad anced Technology (ITMA), Uni ersiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia Received 21 July 2000; accepted 4 December 2000

Abstract This paper studies various work on the development of computerized material selection system. The importance of knowledge-based system KBS. in the context of concurrent engineering is explained. The study of KBS in material selection in an engineering design process is described. The development in materials databases, which sometimes serve as material selection packages, is also discussed. The use of KBS in material selection and the application in the domain of polymeric-based composite are chosen as typical examples. 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Keywords: Material selection; Knowledge-based system; Materials database; Polymeric-based composite; Concurrent engineering; Mechanical engineering design

1. Introduction Materials selection is a task normally carried out by design and materials engineers. Gutteridge and Waterman w1x described the aim of materials selection as the identication of materials, which after appropriate manufacturing operations, will have the dimensions, shape and properties necessary for the product or component to demonstrate its required function at the lowest cost. For the purpose of material selection, thousands of data would be needed to characterize all the grades of materials. Many selection systems are available to help design engineers to choose the most suitable materials. At the most basic level, design engineers could use tables of material properties in data books. However, data sheets are incomplete and once published, they are difcult to update. Dodd and Fairfull w2x described how information about engineering materials, can be divided into two

main categories, i.e. data and knowledge. Data is dened as the results of measurements, whereas knowledge represents the connections between items of data, the source of this knowledge, which contributes to an understanding of the results. Both the computerized database and the KBS of material selection will be described in the following sections.

2. The material database for materials selection 2.1. Supporting data and rigorous logic for the hypothesis and obser ation In recent years, attention is being made to the use of computer systems to store and process data regarding the properties of materials. It enables the designers to achieve large capacity and rapid retrieval from a computer database to provide easy access to the materials data. According to Prasad w3x, materials are the common elements enumerating parts in a product realization

E-mail address: sapuan@eng.upm.edu.my S.M. Sapuan..

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process. Nowadays, design engineers normally rely on the materials that they are familiar with. However, when design requirements exceed the constraints of such materials or exceed the constraints on material properties, concurrent engineering teams must consider alternative materials. With direct online access to a materials database, the concurrent engineering teams could select materials that are lighter, stronger and lower in cost. Assuming that the impact of such substitutions can be analyzed or simulated, the teams could easily make an optimum selection of materials for the available processes, conserve materials for each process and thus, reduce material waste. White w4x emphasized the importance of computeraided materials selection as books have several drawbacks as they are often outdated before reaching the bookshelves. It is very difcult to index them to nd answers or to sort data in the manner of your choice. A computerized system, which provides access to materials data, is not necessarily a materials selection system, although access to data is essential to facilitate selection. 2.2. Critical re iew This section reviews the development of computerized materials databases that enabled designers to select the materials in mechanical engineering design application. The development of material databases has been reported by Harmer w5x, Breuer et al. w6 10x, Baur w11,12x, Michaeli w13x, Ashby w14,15x and Cebon and Ashby w16,17x. Harmer w5x reported that various database systems have been developed for plastics, elastomers and rubbers such as the Cambridge Materials Selector CM S . , CAM PUS, Selector II, Plaspec, CenBASErMaterials, Mat.DB, Plastics Design Library, Engineered Materials Abstracts, FUNDUS, Prospector Plus, Polymat, SPAO, Pro-Concept, Explorer, Platts Polymerscan, Standards Infodisk, Pira Abstracts, Packaging Science and Technology Abstracts, Chem-Intell and Weldasearch. Computer-aided material pre-selection by uniform standards CAMPUS. is a widely used materials database for plastics w6 10x. A product similar to that of CAMPUS is a database concerned with the selection of long ber reinforced plastics. This system is called FUNDUS and it allows the distribution of material information from the producer to the designerr end-user w11 13x. As such, it is of interest to all who work with sheet molding compound SMC., bulk molding compound BMC. or glass-mat thermoplastic GMT. materials as reported by Baur w11,12x and Michaeli et al. w13x. CAMPUS and FUNDUS have features, which allow the user to view all properties for any listed product, print the data for any products.,

search the database for products satisfying specic property requirements, select and view properties for comparison, and sort according to specic requirement in ascending or descending order. Ashby w14,15x and Cebon and Ashby w16,17x developed a computerized materials selection system called Cambridge Materials Selector CMS.. The system uses materials selection charts, which are a way of displaying material property data through the use of optimization procedures. The selection process depends on implementing performance indices, a combination of material properties, which if maximized, optimizes performance. The charts are developed to present the materials, and the performance indices, so that the most suitable selection of materials and shape can be carried out. 2.3. Formalization or explanation of the knowledge sharing patterns Reynard w18x emphasized the importance of the materials database and has criticized the attitude of some people who said that materials selection is not required by engineers or as a service from a computerized database. He suggested that the materials database should be presented in the best form suited to the needs of the users such as by on line systems, mainframe systems, oppy disc for desktop use, and WORMS and CD-ROMS. Waterman et al. w19x studied the computerized materials property data systems for meeting the requirements of design, production and materials engineers. Computerized data and information on material are available in two forms. Firstly, there are on-line systems where the subscriber to the system could contact a central computer through a local terminal-modemtelephone link and secondly, personal computer-based systems where the subscriber receives data on oppy discs and accesses these through a compatible personal computer. Bittence w20x perceived that the greatest deterrent to the development of computer-aided materials selection is the high cost of the project; not only the cost of research to produce more credible data but also the computer costs.

3. KBS: contribution towards advancing decision methods In order to use a source of data effectively the user should have some knowledge base, which can be used to formulate an intelligent approach to the search and to provide a framework within which the data can be used. Selection implies decision, and decisions can

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only be made against which would enable the data to be used in an intelligent way. The KBS comprises expert knowledge capable of assisting the user in an interactive way to solve various problems or queries. KBS is a computer system, which attempts to represent human knowledge or expertise in order to provide quick and easily accessible knowledge in a practical and useful way. KBSs have the ability to accomplish cognitive tasks, which currently require a human expert. They can automate real time use of existing expert knowledge, explain its reasoning process and is readily extensible w21,22x. 3.1. Life-cycle intent capture Concurrent engineering is considered as a management-based product design, development and delivery PD 3 . philosophy as described by Prasad w3x. Realizing the full potential of PD 3 for concurrent engineering could be achieved via the computer-aided system. The knowledge about the PD 3 process or life cycle intent can be captured using CE. The capture tools for the design intent during a PD 3 process with ease of modication is introduced. 3.2. Knowledge-based engineering (KBE) KBSs are software programs designed to capture and apply domain-specic knowledge and expertise in order to facilitate solving problems. Languages can be used as a means to build KBS. Knowledge-based engineering KBE. deals with processing of knowledge w3x. KBE is a process of implementing KBSs in which domainspecic knowledge regarding a part or a process is stored together with other attributes. 3.3. Comparisons of other reasoning approaches Languages are means of capturing the knowledge for the design and development of a product w3x. There are three types of languages that can be employed to capture a life-cycle intent.

The second generation of C4 languages dealt with surfaces and 3-D solids. The third generation of C4 languages was constraint-based but mostly dealt with geometry. Examples include case-based design, parametric scheme, variational scheme and others. Finally is the fourth generation of languages. Today is the age of fourth generation C4 languages. They are knowledge-based techniques giving CE design work groups the ability to capture both geometric and non-geometric information.

3.4. Comparison between geometry-based language and knowledge-based language Most traditional languages such as solid, wire frame and surface models are geometry-based systems. In knowledge-based language, work group members use a design language to build a smart model of the product. Formalism for dening smart models is a knowledgebased representation scheme for describing the life cycle domain knowledge. A geometry-based system fails to draw on knowledge about what the object is, its relationship to other objects or components, or its life cycle aspects w3x. 3.5. Comparison between constraint-based language and knowledge-based language Constraint-based language facilitates for dening constraints. Most constraint-based languages provide means of incorporating arithmetic, logical functions and mathematical expressions within a procedure. One example is nite element system. Constraint-based language also extends to integrate complex and highly specialized analysis and design tasks, and to create specialized input formats and output display. Knowledge-based language goes beyond feature-based language to a knowledge-based life cycle capture mode. Knowledge-based language provides ways to capture geometry and non-geometric attributes, and to write rules that describe the process to create the assembly w3x.

Geometry-based language; Constraint-based language; and Knowledge-based language.

According to Prasad w3x, during the period of 30 years 1960s 1990s., there had been major innovation in languages for capturing knowledge.

4. The Contribution of KBS for materials selection towards concurrent engineering According to Sharon w23x, three bottlenecks are identied as being important in concurrent engineering. They are people, early decision making capability and feedback-facilitating technologies. Early decision mak-

The rst generation of C4 CAD r CAM r CIMrCAE. languages, rst introduced during 1960, only dealt with 2-D drafting and 2-D wire-frame design.

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ing is seen as important because normally, engineering work begins without sufcient information. Current decisions have to be made in the early design stages. Therefore, computer systems play an important role in providing information to design engineers. KBS for material selection is indeed very important in concurrent engineering. Prasad w24x states that components of concurrent engineering include multidisciplinary set-up, synergy and teamwork, and global participation. As far as global participation is concerned, inclusion of outside trade partners and coordinating with subcontractors and suppliers are important. Inclusion of outside trade partners means various companies establish a partnership to supply expertise, services and products in various specialized disciplines. Typical participation of such cooperation is shown in Fig. 1. One of the important companies are material suppliers. However, a computer tool is needed for concurrent engineering teams to select the best materials. They require a comprehensive tool such as KBS to select the material in less time. Thus, KBS can be accessed by others in the concurrent engineering team through an on-line network. New developments in Information Technology IT. such as KBS now provide the means to deliver an enormous amount of data. The problem of making reliable and rational selection of materials for developing novel or improved artifacts is becoming increasingly essential as the number of novel materials with unaccustomed properties increases and KBS has the capability to carry out this task. Gubiotti w25x reported that the area of computerized expert or KBSs can help analyze a complex situation and offer assistance to the user in solving the problem. While this concept may not apply equally well to all

problems facing an engineer or scientist, there are certain areas within material selection or data analysis that have been successfully improved using such techniques. Evbauomwan et al. w26x reported that the factors that determine the material selection are the need to:

avoid connement of materials selection to comfort zone materials, i.e. materials that the designer is only familiar with; utilize new materials and processes to enable innovation in design; make materials information readily available to designers during the design process; achieve or improve on a specied product performance or eliminate a materials or service failure; accommodate a change in component function; solve processing difculties andror take advantage of new processing techniques, reduce material andror production costs and rationalize on materials stockholding, anticipate or exploit a change in the availability of a material; take advantage of the introduction of a new product, or adjust to a decline in the market; accommodate a change in design, fashion or legislation as well as cope with new andror adverse environmental conditions.

The use of KBS in material selection to enable concurrent engineering teams to work efciently is therefore, very important. 4.1. The role of KBS for material selection in helping enact 7Ts enablers for concurrent engineering Prasad w24x has chosen to divide forces that inuence

Fig. 1. Typical participation in global company w24x.

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the domain of concurrent engineering into seven agents 7Ts.. These include tasks, teamwork, techniques, technology, time, tool and talents. KBS for material selection enables the material selection task to be distributed among the talented concurrent engineering team members, in order to reduce the time for selecting the most suitable materials. KBS of material selection comprises important tools in the forms of hardware e.g. Unix workstation. and software e.g. KEE software.. In the KBS, advanced technology such as multimedia enables the users to communicate with the system interactively with interesting graphical user interface. The system could be used in conjunction with other important concurrent engineering techniques such as the Pugh selection method w24x, FMECA, QFD and others.

5. The importance of KBS for materials selection in mechanical engineering design, design modication and development Material selection is one of the most important activities for a product development process. In the modern design manufacturing environment such as newlydeveloped concurrent engineering methodology w27 30x, material selection plays as important a role as other activities in the total design model w31x such as market investigation, product design specication PDS., component design, design analysis, manufacture and assembly as shown in Fig. 2. 5.1. The use of KBS for the material selection process in the context of CE r Pugh alternati e design selection process The total design model w31x stated that in any product

Fig. 3. The design process showing how the breath and the materials data required at each stage differed greatly w15x.

Fig. 2. The importance of material selection in product development w30x.

development, the following steps have to be carried out namely market investigation, product design specication, conceptual design, detail design, manufacture and sale. A similar model was also developed by Pahl and Beitz w32x and is called the German method by Prasad w3x. Materials selection is the process of choosing the best material for a particular design; in mechanical design, materials selection enters at every stage of the total design process. Charles w33x has stressed that in the development of a product, materials selection plays an important role as important as design and manufacturing and that all these activities are interrelated. Ashby w15x developed a model describing the function of material selection in product design as shown in Fig. 3. The materials required at each stage of design process differed greatly. The total design model for product design on the left-hand column of Fig. 3 is similar to the one developed by Pugh w31x. In the conceptual design stage, Pugh w31x has introduced a matrix evaluation chart called the Pugh alternative design selection process w24x, in order to select the best concept. In this method, few concepts were developed and compared with an established concept called datum. If the concepts are better than datum, qve scores are given, otherwise, -ve scores. If the performance of the concepts is the same as datum, Ss is assigned. The concept with the highest difference between qves and ves is taken as the best concept w24,31,34x.

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Evbauomwan et al. w26x developed a model similar to that of Ashby w15x as shown in Fig. 4. The purpose of the model is identical to that of Ashby w15x. Su w35x has developed a model, which integrates the total design method which could include the Pugh selection method. and KBS wwhich obviously could include KBS for material selection see Fig. 5.x. In fact, Sapuan w30x has developed the KBS for material selection, in which the integration is made with the total design method and matrix evaluation method.. Details of this study are described in Section 6.3 of this paper.

6. KBS in materials selection 6.1. Re iew of the knowledge sharing patterns de eloped by Prasad [3] Decision making can be viewed as a process of creating an artifact that performs what is expected

Fig. 4. Material needs vs. design life cycle w26x.

Fig. 5. Relationship between total design model and KBS model w35x.

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specied as a set of requirements. in the presence of all sorts of constraints and operating environments that govern its behavior. Two types of situations exist.

Cognitive type situations: a concurrent team identies an outcome, a pattern, or an hypothesis from a nite set of possible outcomes that any team-member has experienced, which is close to the functions of the products. Progressive type situations: information about the product and its behavior is unknown.

By combining progressive as well as cognitive aspects of product life cycle functions, the new concept called smart regenerative system emerged. Cognitive aspects capture the knowledge, and progressive aspects add a systematic structure to the new design evolution. Smart here means knowledge-based engineering, powered application or a computer module. Several types of rules go into creating knowledge in a KBE environment such as engineering rules from contributory engineering disciplines, decision criteria for extracting information from external databases, etc. 6.2. Critical re iew of other works and the difference from these articles to the knowledge sharing pattern of Prasad [3]. As far as the use of KBS for materials selection is concerned, Zucker and Demaid w36x, Demiad and Zucker w37x, Hopgood w38x, Robinson et al. w39x, Simpkin and Oldham w40x, Thurston and Crawford w41x, Nitsche et al. w42x, Bullinger et al. w43x, Fehsenfeld et al. w44,45x, RAPRA Technology Limited Anon w46x, Simms w47x, Harmer w5x., Kaelble w48x, Boose w49x, Nielsen et al. w50x, Bergamaschi et al. w51x, Sapuan w30x, Sapuan et al. w29x, and Sapuan and Abdalla w27,28x have developed KBS using various approaches and software packages. Most of the researchers above carried out the KBS of material selection in polymeric-based composite materials. Robinson et al. w39x developed KBS for material selection for surface coatings application. Similarly Simpkin and Oldham w40x used KBS for material selection in the domains of wear, corrosion and mechanical loading. Polymeric-based composite is one of the advanced materials that attracted considerable attention of users and is replacing conventional materials such as metals particularly in aerospace and automotive industries. Detailed material selection processes for other classes of materials cannot be provided in this paper for the sake of brevity. Researchers who have been working in the eld of KBS for the materials selection of polymeric-based composite materials include Nitsche et al. w42x, Bullinger et al. w43x, Fehsenfeld et al. w44,45x, RAPRA

Technology Limited Anon w46x., Simms w47x, Harmer w5x, Kaelble w48x, Boose w49x, Nielsen et al. w50x, Bergamaschi et al. w51x, Sapuan w30x, Sapuan et al. w29x, Sapuan w27x and Abdalla w28x. The use of KBS in the polymeric-based composite materials selection was investigated by many researchers. Plascams w47x is a plastic knowledge-based materials selection system, which is using two search routines that enable users to search material qualities from hundreds of materials. Bullinger et al. w43x, Nitsche et al. w42x, Boose w49x and Fehsenfeld et al. w44,45x developed KBSs for the material selection of polymeric-based composite materials. In all the systems, data about the materials and their properties were processed and stored in database systems. Logical user interfaces between KBSs and databases were developed. Design and selection of the optimal materials were solved using rule-based system. The systems developed by Bullinger et al. w43x and Fehsenfeld et al. w45x are selecting the materials for continuous laminate composites. The work of Nitsche et al. w42x is trying to select the matrix and ber for composite material separately and then combine both properties to get the best material. The system developed by Boose w49x is mainly for aerospace application. Kaelble w48x reported that in manufacturing polymeric-based composite, materials selection is the rst and most important activity to carry out. The computer-aided material selection model has been developed utilizing a CADrCAM facility. CADrCAM was also used in other activities within the manufacture of polymeric-based composite such as chemical analysis, cutting, lamination, quality assurance testing, cure process, cure management, non-destructive testing NDT., assembly and service. The KBS for material selection reviewed above exactly tted within the framework set out by Prasad w3x, i.e. the concept of a smart regenerative system. Therefore, their knowledge sharing patterns are actually similar to what is introduced by Prasad w3x. 6.3. Example of KBS in material selection Recently Sapuan et al. w27 30x and Abdalla w28x have developed a KBS system for material selection of polymeric-based composites using rule-based reasoning for automotive components, in particular for pedal box system. The package used is KEE. The general architecture of the system is shown in Fig. 6. It shows the relationship between the various tools used in the material selection, including knowledge base, the material database and the solid modeling system ProrEngineer.. The KBS was developed on a Sun Sparc-station as a hardware platform. The selection of suitable materials for automotive pedal box systems, was the major emphasis of this

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Fig. 6. General architecture of KBS for material selection w30x.

research. Mechanical, physical and chemical properties, together with economic and manufacturing considerations, were taken into consideration during the material selection process. These factors and others were represented as constraints and translated in the form of heuristic rules in the KBS. The rule-based technique If-Then is implemented to perform the material selection process. A material that satises all constraints becomes a suitable candidate for a particular component. If any of the constraints is violated, the system gives a message regarding the unsuitability of that particular material.

7. Conclusions The study shows that the KBS is a very appropriate tool in material selection process. Some of the material databases could also be used as material selection systems, but as they are mainly developed for data storage, the material selection process using a material database is not very reliable. Therefore, attention should be given to the material selection process using a KBS.

Acknowledgements The author wishes to thank Ms N. Zainal Abidin and Ms Qurratu Aini for their support in the preparation of this paper. References
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